Portable book light



Oct. 3, 1950 L. P. MCDOWELL 2,524,461

PORTABLE BOOK LIGHT Filed Dec. 11, 1947 Inventor l7 Lawrence P. McDowell Patented Get. 3, 1950 UNITED ''}STATES PATENT- mm 2,524,461 h roaTABLE BOOK LIGHT Lawrence P. McDowell, Goleta, Calif. Application December 11, 1947, Serial No. 790,952 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved light which is especially, but not necessarily, adapted to be detachably mounted on a bound or an equivalent book in such, a manner as to provide sufficient but limited illumination for night reading or wherever and whenever insufficient natural light makes readingdifficult and uncertain.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a simple, practical and economical light with a relatively small bulb or lamp such as will prove beneficial to those otherwise deprived of satisfactory reading because of improper lighting, or where. bright lights are forbidden, such as inhospital wards, dormitories, sick rooms and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light of the type described which is characterized by a readily applicable and removable clamping device with lighting facilities mounted on one end of same, the lighting facilities being angularly adjustable to focus the beams directly on the desired spot, thus permitting the user to utilize an individual light, limited in character, and Without appreciably disturbing others in the same room or area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of the type shown and described which may be employed as a so-called miniature night light, where a nominal source of illumination is thought to be necessary by those requiring limited illumination and in an eifort to minimize accidents.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views- Figure l is a perspective view showing a portable readily applicable and removable light structure constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating same applied to a hardback book;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating all of the details of construction; and

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged cross sectional views on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Figure 2,

- looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figure 2 it will be seen that the numeral 6 designates a socket, of any appropriate construction, provided with an on and off switch I and provided at one end with an elongated reflector-type shade 8 for the electric lamp or bulb 9, the latter having the usual screw-type plug H! which fits into the socket provided therefor, The left hand end of the socket 6 is provided with a tubular extension H terminating in a partspherical shell [2 forming part of a universal joint construction. Shell 12 is frictionally mounted on a coacting ball joint member l3 carried by a cap I31]. and fitted in the upper end of the clamp equipped holder means 14. The latter comprises an outer tubeor sleeve l5 into" which the aforementioned plug or cap l 3a is securely fastened; A coacting inner sleeve I6 telescopes into the outer sleeve and the sleeve I6 is provided upon its lower end with ahead ll, suitably shouldered and provided with a book engaging and retaining hook l8. A complemental hook I9 is provided on the upper portion of the holder I4 and is secured by a ring or band 20: to the sleeve l5. A coiled spring 2! is provided and is anchored at one end ona pin 22 carried by the sleeve I6 and a second pin 23 carried by the sleeve I5. Finally, the numeral 24 denotes a current supply cord which may be provided with an appropriate screw type or prong equipped plug (not shown) for purposes of detachable connection with a wall or floor socket. It might be mentioned in this connection that it is within the purview of the invention to utilize dry cell batteries, if necessary, where electricity is not available.

As will be clear from the disclosure, the invention is characterized by a double hook equipped clamping and attaching means M which is readily applicable to a hard-back book as at A in Figure 1. The device I4 is substantially self-adjusting and will fit hard-back books. The spring is sufficient to maintain tension on the hooks l8 and I 9 to retain same in place as illustrated in Figure 1. It is within the purview of the invention to vary the proportions of parts, obviously, to provide a larger or smaller clamping device, or a larger bulb and reflector for said bulb.

After the book light is in place, the light guard or reflector 8 may be angled and adjusted to proper place by moving or swinging the reflector to the desired position, this because the reflector is rotatably mounted in the socket 6 and because the socket 6 is attached by said universal joint to the clamping device M.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawing will enable the reader what lamp of the class shown and described comprisingv a holder embodying inner and outer telescopically connected snug fitting sleeves, a head on-theouter end of one sleeve abutting the other sleeve and provided with a book engaging hook, a hook attached to the outer end portion of i the latter sleeve, cross pins mounted rigidly in said sleeves,-

a coiled spring within the sleeves attached at opposite ends. to saidcr'oss pins, a lamp socket includingia switch, a" lamp mounted in said socket, a lamp" reflector carried by said socket cooperable with said'lam'pj anda' ball and socket connection between the? lamp socket and one end ofone of said sleeves.

2. A-readily, applicable and removable reading lamp for use in association withta book or other support comprisinga pair fof inner and outer telescopically. connected cylindrical-sleeves with the inner sleeve fitting; snugly within the outer sleeve-, -said'linner'sleeve being, provided at its outer end with a head-ofa diameter equal to" the external diameterof.. the outer sleeve and providinga shouldernormally'abutting, the coacting end 'of saidf'outer sleeve, said headbeingprovided withia hook with the bill portion of the hook substantially, parallel to the adjacent end portionsofnsaid inner andi'outer sleeves, a complemental hook fastened on the-outer end portion-of'the outer sleeve/andin alignment with the first-'namedhook-with its bill parallel to. said outer sleeve a lamp, socket and shade assembly, a ball andlsocket'means interposed between said is l assembly and the adjacent outer end portion of said outer sleeve, and spring means housed within said sleeves and connected to the respective sleeves for drawing the hooks normally toward each other;

3. A portable reading lamp of the type shown and described comprising an open ended cylindrical outer sleeve, an inner complemental sleeve telescopically fitted into one-end portion of said outer "sleeve and provided with a book engaging hook, internally arranged spring means interconnecting coacting end portions of said sleeves, a second book engaging hook mounted on the outer'sleeve and coacting with the first-named hook, a fitting, embodying a cap plugged into the remaining open end of said outer sleeve and includin'g'a ball jointingmember, a shade equipped lamp mounting including a socket forming shell operatively mounted on said ball jointing member.

4; Thestructure'specifiedin claim 3, together with a? current conducting" cord connected with said lamp'mountin'g"and'extending through said shelLfsaid fitting'jbeing centrally apertured and said cord pa'ssingthrough the fitting, and said sleeve having an opening adjacent the fitting through and'beyondwh'ich' said cord passes.

V LAWRENCE P. MCDOWELL.

REFERENCE S CITED The following-references are of recordin the file of this patent: l

UNITED'i STATES PATENTS 

